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When to move
Question number one
would be: “when is the best time for me to move?”
You should plan your
move to take place at a time convenient for you and your family. However, due to
a seasonal nature of the moving industry you should remember that during certain
periods it will be harder to find a good mover, and the prices tend to be
generally higher.
Those periods include:
1)
The summer months
– for many families with children summer is the most convenient time to move
because the school term is up. In addition, summer weather is usually more
suitable for moving.
2)
Beginning and end of each
month -
first and last days of each month, regardless of season, are very busy days for
the moving industry.
3)
End of the year holiday
season –
during end of December things tend to be especially hectic.
During the “peak”
periods the demand for moving services is higher, and so are the prices. In
addition, it is more difficult for the moving companies to ensure the quality of
service that you would expect, making your move even more stressful.
To learn more about
different factors influencing the cost of your move read
Moving
Guide->Moving Cost-Financial Tips
What to move
Question number two would be “what should I move to a new place, and what to
leave behind?”
General rule of thumb: an item that hasn’t been used in over year should be
considered for selling, donating, recycling, or just thrown away. Consult your
family members – maybe someone needs it.
Make
sure you inspect your house from top to bottom and decide what is going and what
is staying. If you plan to have a visit from a visual estimator make sure you
know exactly what you want the moving company to move for you. Show all those
items to the estimator.
You
might have things that you don’t want to part with, but which will inevitably be
stored in a storage, shed, or garage after the move. Those items should be
packed very well in containers that are rodent, moisture and dust proof. To
learn more about preparing your items for storing read
Moving
Guide->Moving Storage Tips.
Some
items can’t be moved at all, or should be moved with a special care. Those items
include hazardous materials, perishables, and personal and valuable items. To
learn more about do-not-move items read
Moving
Guide->Do-not-move Items.
How to move
Next
question will be “how am I going to move? Should I do it myself, or should I
hire a moving company?”
There
a three general ways to move:
1)
Hire a full service moving company that will do everything for you;
2)
Rent a truck and move yourself;
3)
Hire a self moving company that will provide you with a truck and a driver, but
you will have to load and unload by yourself.
Regardless of the option
you choose, remember to reserve your moving services or truck well ahead to
secure your moving date and time. Read more to learn how to:
Also, when exploring your
moving options consider the following tips:
Hiring helpers –
if you decide to move
yourself you might want to use extra help to load or unload. There are companies
that offer moving labor only. You can find such company in our
Moving Labor section.
Small moves –
if your shipment is really
small and can fit in a small van your move is considered small move. Some
companies (often called as “Man-with-a-Van”) offer inexpensive services for
small moves. You can find such company in our Small
Move section.
Insurance
- If you are hiring a professional, it's a good idea to insure your belongings.
Replacement of damaged belongings is bothersome, but possible with proper
coverage. Find out if your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy covers your
belongings in transit. To learn more about moving insurance read our
Moving
Guide->Moving Insurance Guide
New premises
– It’s important to pay attention to the doorways and hallways in your new
house. Some of your old furniture might not fit, and will have to be abandoned.
Check the space for your laundry and kitchen appliances, such as refrigerator.
And finally, check out where TV, phone and internet connections are located.
Auto moving
– If you decide to use an auto transporting service to move your car, consult
our
Moving
Guide->Auto Moving Tips.
Preparing for the move
Good
planning and organization is a key for successful move. You should keep a
special notebook with all the planning, tasks, and important move-related
information.
Prepare your items
for move.
Packing all your belongings and preparing your furniture for the move is one of
the most laborious parts of the moving process. To make it easier consult the
following tips:
·
Get rid of the items you don’t want to move by having a garage sale. Allow
yourself enough time to organize it. If you don’t want to deal with garage sales
consider donating your unwanted items.
·
Keep a floor plan of the new house with you for reference while you pack and for
moving day.
·
Keep tools for assembling beds and other furniture in easily accessible place,
or tape them to the furniture itself.
·
Clean your belongings before moving them.
·
To
learn more about packing techniques, consult
Moving
Guide->All Packing Tips
Arrange your finances.
It’s important
to organize your finances to be ready for all kinds of surprises and unexpected
emergencies. Consult the following tips:
·
Make sure that direct debit and billing links to your bank accounts are
organized to handle any changes resulting from your move
·
Budget wisely and conservatively for any items that will be needed once you are
in your new home.
·
Open new bank account. Try to open a new account before closing your old one,
and transfer your funds.
·
Keep a detailed log of moving expenses in your notebook. Some may be
tax-deductible, so make sure you keep all the receipts.
·
To
learn more read
Moving
Guide->Moving Cost-Financial Tips
Changing your address.
Remember to
notify the post office that you will be moving, and provide them with a new
address. It can be done online –
click here.
It is important to
supply companies with a forwarding address where they can send final invoices.
Don’t get yourself surprised with late fees and credit circumstances.
Also, it is important
to teach your children the new address and phone number. Ask them to write it on
every packed box for practice.
Don’t forget small
things.
·
Check the dry cleaners for anything you still need to collect.
·
Set aside and label keys to give to the new homeowners.
·
Return any library books, rental videos, or items you may have borrowed from
friends or neighbors. Make sure to get back the items once borrowed from you as
well.
Utilities.
A very important part of
your move is disconnection and reconnection of all the utilities. Consult the
following tips:
·
Learn about disconnection rules by calling a utility companies or visiting their
websites.
·
For disconnection or transfer of your utilities contact the companies at least
two weeks before the move. It will give them enough time to take final readings
of water, gas, and electrical meters. It also will save you from being subjected
to any late notification charges.
·
Settle all the bills that are unsettled before the moving day, and recover all
the refunds and deposits.
·
If
you are moving across town, you may be able to transfer your services to your
new home. However, if you are moving long distances, you will likely be dealing
with a new company that may or may not charge a setup fee. At the same time you
could save few bucks by getting a “bundled” television, phone and Internet
service from one company.
·
Water and sewer service can be arranged directly through the appropriate town or
city department. The same holds true for garbage pickup and recycling, the cost
of which is usually rolled into the property tax bill.
·
Make sure your utilities are working until a day after your moving day. You
don’t want to get your phone disconnected before the movers come, because they
will not show up without confirmation.
Prepare for your
journey.
If you are
planning to drive to your new home, remember to tune up the car to avoid a
breakdown on the way. Also, pack a first aid box that will contain bandages, bug
spray, sunburn spray, tissues, and medications you or your family will need
along the way
If
you are flying to your new home, check the flight schedule closely and be sure
to factor in the time required to retrieve luggage and travel from the airport.
Also make backup plans in case the flight is delayed or you get stuck in
traffic.
Moving day
Finally, the moving day arrives. Be ready to have a very hectic day, with plenty
of activities, and lots of details to remember and take care of. That’s why it
is crucial to prepare yourself well.
Be present during the
move. It is
important to be present at the location from the time the moving team arrives to
the very last moment when the truck leaves your home.
If you cannot be present
during the move, or you have a problem to be home to greet the movers arrange
for someone to do it for you. You might be facing extra charges for the time in
case the team will arrive at your home before you do.
You should supervise the
movers’ work. Accompany the moving crew foreman as he fills out the inventory
sheet and supervise the loading process into the moving van. Be available to
answer any questions your movers may have, which means staying around until
they're finished
Finally, keep your pets
away from all the activity on moving day. If your dog is frenzied because of the
moving day activity, confine it somewhere away from the action.
Be considerate to your
neighbors.
Remember, it’s you who are
moving, and not your neighbors. Try to move during the daytime, but not too
early or too late.
Make sure the sidewalk and
neighbor's driveway are not blocked with moving truck or furniture waiting to be
loaded. Keep movers away from walking over your neighbor's lawn or through their
flowerbeds.
Finally, don't leave
trash, unwanted furniture or other debris on the sidewalk. Place it in proper
containers, and if it begins to overflow, go to the local dump.
Signing the papers.
It’s a very important part
of the moving process. The foreman will ask you to sign a bill of lading and
check an inventory sheet when they are done loading the truck. More about the
different documents related to the move read here:
Moving
Guide->How to Choose a Moving Company->Important documents.
Make
sure you inspect all of your belongings closely and read the paperwork closely
before you sign anything. Read the inventory sheet carefully, and ask the
foreman to explain anything you don't understand. Take a second walk throughout
the house to make sure all items are accounted for. Make a note of your
shipment's registration number, and keep your Bill of Lading handy.
Finalizing the pick-up.
If you're moving long
distance, be aware that your property might share a truck with that of several
other households. For this reason, your mover might have to place your
belongings in his transit storage for several days. Therefore, ask your mover
whether your goods will remain on the truck until delivered. If they have to be
stored, ask whether you can check the warehouse for security, organization and
cleanliness.
And
finally, give the foreman your phone numbers and email addresses so you can stay
in contact. For long distance moves it is important to be in touch with the
company’s long distance department to make sure your shipment is scheduled for
delivery and they have all the contact information and addresses.
Take good care of the
movers. Movers
work hard for you, and you should take good care of them. Remember to set out
water and snacks for the movers. On cold days, offer them hot tea and coffee.
Also, if the move will take long time get them lunch.
If you're satisfied with
the way the movers handled your possessions, it's customary to tip the movers.
Read more about tipping here:
Moving
Guide->Moving Cost-Financial Tips->Tipping the movers
Leaving your house.
You should
leave your old house as clean as you would like to find your new house. Clean as
much as you can before moving day, and then make a final check after everything
is out.
Also, always shut and lock
all windows and doors as you leave your old home on moving day.
What to do after the move
When you finally arrive
at your new home you probably can’t wait to settle your house. However, don’t
rush and take your time. Don't spend too much time unpacking right away. It is
important to unload the essentials, of course. But wait on the less important
stuff.
In
the first few days, take time to enjoy your new home with your family. Don't
despair if you are not totally happy with it on the day you move in. Keep in
mind that most homes can be adapted over time to suit your lifestyle and tastes.
Take walks in the new
neighborhood. Introduce yourselves to your new neighbors. Plan to order take-out
food or eat out, since you will be too tired to cook, and most of your
appliances will still be packed. So, take a walk to check out local restaurants
and take-out spots.
When unpacking keep in
mind the following tips:
·
After you've moved, it's a good idea to let all of your electrical appliances
return to room temperature before plugging them in.
·
Flatten all your moving boxes for recycling. Many moving companies will pick
them up after your move.
·
To
learn more about unpacking read
Moving
Guide->All Packing tips-> Unpacking tips.
And
remember – always expect the unexpected. Few moves go smoothly, anticipate and
predict trouble, and most important – always keep a positive attitude!
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